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Honourable mention: Electric car wins Motor Trend Car of the Year
In an electrifying game changer that Detroit automakers cannot continue to dodge, the Tesla S becomes the first electric car to claim the vaunted award, not because it is the best electric car, but because it is the best of all cars on the road. With 250 patents covering the Model S, and more pending, the Tesla goes from 0 to 60 mph in a Porsche-rivaling 4.4 seconds. With a top speed of 130 mph, it travels farther on a charge than any electric car in history—up to 300 miles on the optional 85-kilowatt-hour battery—and recharges three times as fast as the industry standard. The sticker price today is $59,000.